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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27692387">Achilles Come Down</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaskiers_BrokenLute/pseuds/Jaskiers_BrokenLute'>Jaskiers_BrokenLute</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Jaskier | Dandelion Loves Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, M/M, Oblivious Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Pre-Relationship, Sad Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:41:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,299</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27692387</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaskiers_BrokenLute/pseuds/Jaskiers_BrokenLute</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Go inside Jaskier," He breathed, the fight in him stomped out. It's hard to believe you can be cared for, let alone missed when the entirety of your life has been spent proving the opposite, and somedays it's easier to imagine the dirt encompassing you in an eternal embrace that you've been robbed of than to accept the truth.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia &amp; Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>84</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Achilles Come Down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Based on the lyrics of Achilles Come Down by Gang of Youths</p><p>(Unedited oops)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Geralt! Wait, where are you going?"</p><p>A few patrons of the tavern turned at the sudden discourse between the bard and the witcher, the latter having stomped down the stairs towards the exit, clearly without a second thought for the man following quickly on his heels. </p><p>"A contract, stay here." </p><p>"Why? What is it?" He followed dutifully as Geralt continued on his way to ready Roach. He had a tendency of leaving Jaskier behind on more dangerous hunts, coming back bruised and bloody, all-around worse for wear, and ready for Jaskier to pick up the pieces he'd lost along the way. <br/>While it pains him to no end to see his witcher in such a state, Jaskier allows it, only at the condition that he's allowed to pour himself out for Geralt when he returns, helping him back together again until the next time he needs breaking. </p><p>It takes a toll on both of them, but it's a necessary evil that they've accepted into the routine of their lives. Usually, however, on hunts like this Jaskier is told explicitly what Geralt is hunting for, how he plans to kill and/or save it when he thinks he'll be back, and when he's leaving. <br/>Today, however, Jaskier returned to an empty room after he'd finished in the bathhouse, running out just in time to see Geralt stalking towards the door.</p><p>"It's dangerous, you could die." </p><p>"That's not what I was asking, and so could you!" He crossed his arms over his chest, pressing them into his body as if the pressure would lessen the growing ache he felt beneath his ribs. <br/>If he wasn't even willing to say what it was Jaskier feared for Geralt's safety more than usual, knowing that he would hide anything from Jaskier if it meant lessening his worry and lowering the chances Jaskier try to stop him. <br/>It's a fatal flaw Jaskier can't yet tell if he's thankful for or not. </p><p>"I could die on every hunt, why chose now to care?" </p><p>It felt like the wind had stopped where it had been tracing Jaskier's cheeks, the world around them could have stopped spinning and Jaskier still wouldn't have looked away from Geralt's eyes, hoping he could catch of glimpse of his own reflecting the hurt Geralt had cast upon him. </p><p>Years, years together and there's still no proof of the effort Jaskier has put in to show Geralt he cares, no tangible proof that he can touch and feel that it's a requited thing. <br/>He couldn't help but feel guilty for wondering if it had all been worth it or not, or if at this moment he wasted his life on someone who could never see or return the love he harboured for him, for every bit of himself he gave away he couldn't really tell what he was getting back, but this.</p><p>Then again, looking away from Geralt's cold gaze allowed for the memories to come through, how Geralt allowed him to help, to care even when he had no idea how to accept it, how Geralt took care of him in turn, silently and hesitant, but enough to make Jaskier's entire being glow like the brightest star in the sky under such care, nothing could take away those moments from his memory. But it still hurt, to wonder solely about what could be awaiting Geralt that would make him try to push Jaskier away again, just as cruel as the first few times. </p><p>"Geralt, get back inside." He pleaded as casually as he could make it sound, hiding his desperation behind angry eyes in hopes Geralt couldn't see through him. </p><p>"They've already paid half, I can't leave the job unfinished." </p><p>"Screw the job, Geralt. It's not worth all the coin in the world if it gets you killed!" He uncrossed his arms, letting the ache spread into a wildfire, engulfing his lungs and heart while Geralt kept him suspended in time, wondering if he'll have to grieve sooner or later. </p><p>"There's no future where I don't die on the path," As if that were an excuse, a pathetic last-ditch excuse that Jaskier has begrudgingly accepted years ago, fighting against it to the point of exhaustion some days when Geralt is late to return, or sleeping soundly beside him, a moment he can imagine is one of peace where Geralt will wake up and smile, wrap his arms around Jaskier's waist and lie in bed for another hour just memorizing the silhouettes of each other. </p><p>"For a man who doesn't believe in destiny, you seem rather certain of your own," </p><p>"Witchers live and die by the path, it's a fact, not destiny." </p><p>"But you don't have to! Just come back inside Geralt, you're scaring me!" He'd thought he'd known fear, absolute terror while looking into the eyes of a beast with your blood on its teeth, but watching while the one person you love accepts their death as if it will be a silent affair is an entirely different sort of fear the no one had prepared him for. </p><p>"I know it's not much, I'm not much Geralt but I care. How much more proof do you need because I'm not sure there's much of me left to offer,"</p><p>"I don't recall you valuing truth much, bard."</p><p>The urge to give up and water the flowerless ground with his tears was overwhelming, but he'd already worked himself hollow trying to give enough of himself to preserve Geralt, giving up the rest of his skin and bones no longer feels too much like a burden, so long as Geralt is there when he wakes up weightless tomorrow. </p><p>"Then humour me, just come inside and we can talk about this properly."</p><p>"What more is there to say?"</p><p>"Do you not remember the years we've spent together? Everything we've done for each other, you're telling me all of it is lost on you?" </p><p>Geralt sighed, as if this were tiring for him, to have someone beg for his life. </p><p>"I'm going, stay here and we can talk however much you want when I come back,"</p><p>"When or if?" </p><p>"If," He conceded, letting the bridge holding in Jaskier's tears break, sending them cascading to the dirt below. </p><p>"Then I'm coming with you," He may not be a match for argument with Geralt, may have wasted himself on the man, but he'll be damned if he lets him die alone. </p><p>"You'll die,"</p><p>"Only if you do, and yet, I'm coming with you. Where you go I go and if you walk knowingly to your grave I'll be right there with you. I will grieve you Geralt, despite what your thick head is telling you I will hurt and cry and break if you die on me you prick," He choked out a laugh wiping his tears off on his sleeve, "But I'm not going to suffer alone." </p><p>They stood in the stone-hard atmosphere they'd created around themselves, staring each other down as if waiting for one to unsheathe their sword and deliver the finishing blow. </p><p>They stared until Geralt's eyes began to melt from a molten, angry gold into the soft amber Jaskier had seen so many times behind his own eyelids, breathing out a sigh of relief that shattered the glass forming in his lungs as he held his breath. </p><p>"Go inside Jaskier," He breathed, the fight in him stomped out. It's hard to believe you can be cared for, let alone missed when the entirety of your life has been spent proving the opposite, and somedays it's easier to imagine the dirt encompassing you in an eternal embrace that you've been robbed of. <br/>But, most days weren't spent with Jaskier, the dirt could wait for them to come hand in hand. </p><p>"Where you go I go."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! Let me know if you liked it!</p><p>You can find this fic and me on Tumblr if you like: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/jaskiersbrokenlute</p></blockquote></div></div>
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